What is freedom of expression index in Singapore?

Freedom of expression index in Singapore was 0.4 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in Singapore?

The highest recorded value was 0.569 in 1963.

What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in Singapore?

The lowest recorded value was 0.23 in 1965.

How does Singapore rank for freedom of expression index?

Singapore ranks 134th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Singapore?

Over the last ten years it is up 11.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.

Where does this Singapore data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Freedom of Expression Index in Singapore

Name: Freedom of Expression Index in Singapore
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Singapore: Freedom of Expression Index was 0.4 in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)

0.4

Change on year

up 14.9%

World rank

134th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.569

in 1963

All-time low

0.23

in 1965

Years of data

159

1867–2025

Freedom of Expression Index in Singapore, 1867–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

Singapore recorded 0.4 for freedom of expression index in 2025.

The figure is up 14.9% on the previous year and up 11.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, freedom of expression index in Singapore peaked at 0.569 in 1963 and was at its lowest, 0.23, in 1965.

That places Singapore 134th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 159 years of available data.

Freedom of Expression Index in Singapore, year by year

Annual values for Freedom of Expression Index in Singapore, 1867 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1867	0.415	—
1868	0.415	+0.0%
1869	0.415	+0.0%
1870	0.415	+0.0%
1871	0.415	+0.0%
1872	0.415	+0.0%
1873	0.415	+0.0%
1874	0.415	+0.0%
1875	0.415	+0.0%
1876	0.415	+0.0%
1877	0.415	+0.0%
1878	0.415	+0.0%
1879	0.415	+0.0%
1880	0.415	+0.0%
1881	0.415	+0.0%
1882	0.415	+0.0%
1883	0.415	+0.0%
1884	0.415	+0.0%
1885	0.415	+0.0%
1886	0.415	+0.0%
1887	0.415	+0.0%
1888	0.415	+0.0%
1889	0.415	+0.0%
1890	0.508	+22.4%
1891	0.508	+0.0%
1892	0.508	+0.0%
1893	0.508	+0.0%
1894	0.508	+0.0%
1895	0.508	+0.0%
1896	0.508	+0.0%
1897	0.508	+0.0%
1898	0.508	+0.0%
1899	0.508	+0.0%
1900	0.508	+0.0%
1901	0.508	+0.0%
1902	0.508	+0.0%
1903	0.508	+0.0%
1904	0.508	+0.0%
1905	0.508	+0.0%
1906	0.508	+0.0%
1907	0.508	+0.0%
1908	0.512	+0.8%
1909	0.512	+0.0%
1910	0.495	-3.3%
1911	0.495	+0.0%
1912	0.495	+0.0%
1913	0.495	+0.0%
1914	0.495	+0.0%
1915	0.495	+0.0%
1916	0.495	+0.0%
1917	0.495	+0.0%
1918	0.495	+0.0%
1919	0.495	+0.0%
1920	0.495	+0.0%
1921	0.495	+0.0%
1922	0.495	+0.0%
1923	0.495	+0.0%
1924	0.495	+0.0%
1925	0.495	+0.0%
1926	0.495	+0.0%
1927	0.495	+0.0%
1928	0.495	+0.0%
1929	0.495	+0.0%
1930	0.495	+0.0%
1931	0.495	+0.0%
1932	0.495	+0.0%
1933	0.495	+0.0%
1934	0.495	+0.0%
1935	0.495	+0.0%
1936	0.495	+0.0%
1937	0.495	+0.0%
1938	0.495	+0.0%
1939	0.495	+0.0%
1940	0.495	+0.0%
1941	0.495	+0.0%
1942	0.428	-13.5%
1943	0.381	-11.0%
1944	0.381	+0.0%
1945	0.381	+0.0%
1946	0.531	+39.4%
1947	0.531	+0.0%
1948	0.531	+0.0%
1949	0.531	+0.0%
1950	0.531	+0.0%
1951	0.531	+0.0%
1952	0.531	+0.0%
1953	0.531	+0.0%
1954	0.531	+0.0%
1955	0.531	+0.0%
1956	0.531	+0.0%
1957	0.531	+0.0%
1958	0.531	+0.0%
1959	0.518	-2.4%
1960	0.534	+3.1%
1961	0.534	+0.0%
1962	0.534	+0.0%
1963	0.569	+6.6%
1964	0.375	-34.1%
1965	0.23	-38.7%
1966	0.23	+0.0%
1967	0.23	+0.0%
1968	0.23	+0.0%
1969	0.23	+0.0%
1970	0.23	+0.0%
1971	0.23	+0.0%
1972	0.23	+0.0%
1973	0.23	+0.0%
1974	0.23	+0.0%
1975	0.23	+0.0%
1976	0.23	+0.0%
1977	0.23	+0.0%
1978	0.23	+0.0%
1979	0.23	+0.0%
1980	0.25	+8.7%
1981	0.25	+0.0%
1982	0.25	+0.0%
1983	0.25	+0.0%
1984	0.25	+0.0%
1985	0.25	+0.0%
1986	0.25	+0.0%
1987	0.25	+0.0%
1988	0.25	+0.0%
1989	0.25	+0.0%
1990	0.286	+14.4%
1991	0.286	+0.0%
1992	0.286	+0.0%
1993	0.286	+0.0%
1994	0.286	+0.0%
1995	0.286	+0.0%
1996	0.293	+2.4%
1997	0.293	+0.0%
1998	0.293	+0.0%
1999	0.293	+0.0%
2000	0.343	+17.1%
2001	0.343	+0.0%
2002	0.343	+0.0%
2003	0.343	+0.0%
2004	0.343	+0.0%
2005	0.34	-0.9%
2006	0.356	+4.7%
2007	0.34	-4.5%
2008	0.343	+0.9%
2009	0.361	+5.2%
2010	0.361	+0.0%
2011	0.361	+0.0%
2012	0.364	+0.8%
2013	0.355	-2.5%
2014	0.355	+0.0%
2015	0.359	+1.1%
2016	0.371	+3.3%
2017	0.38	+2.4%
2018	0.372	-2.1%
2019	0.35	-5.9%
2020	0.338	-3.4%
2021	0.338	+0.0%
2022	0.335	-0.9%
2023	0.36	+7.5%
2024	0.348	-3.3%
2025	0.4	+14.9%

Singapore compared with similar countries

Singapore's 0.4 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.874, 46% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
Singapore's 0.4 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.682, 59% of the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1860s	0.415	0.415	0.415	3
1870s	0.415	0.415	0.415	10
1880s	0.415	0.415	0.415	10
1890s	0.508	0.508	0.508	10
1900s	0.5088	0.508	0.512	10
1910s	0.495	0.495	0.495	10
1920s	0.495	0.495	0.495	10
1930s	0.495	0.495	0.495	10
1940s	0.4685	0.381	0.531	10
1950s	0.5297	0.518	0.531	10
1960s	0.3696	0.23	0.569	10
1970s	0.23	0.23	0.23	10
1980s	0.25	0.25	0.25	10
1990s	0.2888	0.286	0.293	10
2000s	0.3455	0.34	0.361	10
2010s	0.3628	0.35	0.38	10
2020s	0.3532	0.335	0.4	6

Countries ranked near Singapore

131 Ukraine 0.418 compare
132 Zimbabwe 0.414 compare
133 Palestine 0.41 compare
135 Congo 0.373 compare
136 Algeria 0.367 compare
137 Syria 0.358 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Singapore

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 43 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 43 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for Singapore →

Frequently asked questions

What is freedom of expression index in Singapore?: Freedom of expression index in Singapore was 0.4 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in Singapore?: The highest recorded value was 0.569 in 1963.
What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in Singapore?: The lowest recorded value was 0.23 in 1965.
How does Singapore rank for freedom of expression index?: Singapore ranks 134th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Singapore?: Over the last ten years it is up 11.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Singapore data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Freedom of Expression Index in Singapore. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 08 November 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/freedom-of-expression-index/singapore/

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About this data

Indicator: Freedom of Expression Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,035 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 30 October 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which people can discuss political matters at home and in the public sphere, the press, and media are free and can present different political perspectives, and the freedom of academic and cultural expression.